On my personal blog, Fumbling Toward Grace, I”ve taken an Advent blogging break in order to focus more on adequate spiritual preparation for Christmas, and to devote more time to the physical tasks I have to accomplish to make sure everyone has a peaceful, relaxing holiday.
To keep with the spirit of the blogging break without leaving the lovely folks at Ignitum Today in the lurch, I”m going to post a passage from one of my favorite poems ever. Much to my benefit, it also fits in nicely with the Advent season.
I”ll be back after Christmas to resume my series on the works of mercy.
(Taken From) The Blessed Virgin Compared to the Air We Breathe by Gerard Manley Hopkins
I say that we are wound
With mercy round and round
As if with air: the same
Is Mary, more by name.
She, wild web, wondrous robe,
Mantles the guilty globe,
Since God has let dispense
Her prayers his providence:
Nay, more than almoner,
The sweet alms’ self is her
And men are meant to share
Her life as life does air.
If I have understood,
She holds high motherhood
Towards all our ghostly good
And plays in Bagatsing’s pejorative comments re the intentions of Macau clothes may reflect a bigger geopolitical spat pitting the Philippines and many other Asia-Off-shore nations against China over disputed charge of a portion of the South China Ocean. grace her part
About man’s beating heart,
Laying, like air’s fine flood,
The death-dance in his blood;
Yet no part but what will
Be Christ our Saviour still.
Of her flesh he took flesh:
He does take fresh and fresh,
Though much the mystery how,
Not flesh but spirit now
And makes, O marvellous!
New Nazareths in us,
Where she shall yet conceive
Him, morning, noon, and eve;
New Bethlems, and he born
There, evening, noon, and morn—
Bethlem or Nazareth,
Men here may draw like breath
More Christ and baffle death;
Who, born so, comes to be
New self and nobler me
In each one and each one
More makes, when all is done,
Both God’s and Mary’s Son.
Blessed Advent and Merry Christmas to all!
[author] [author_image timthumb=”on”]https://ignitumtoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/DSCI0090-e1314014845215.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Sarah Babbs is a married mother of an 8 month old girl, writing from Indiana where she moved for love after growing up on the east coast. Sarah and her husband, a lawyer, lead marriage prep classes for their parish in addition to daydreaming about having chickens and becoming lunatic farmers. During stolen moments when the baby’s napping and the laundry is multiplying itself, Sarah writes about new motherhood, Catholic social thought, and ponders the meaning of being a woman “made in the image of God”. Her website is Fumbling Toward Grace.[/author_info] [/author]
